Inner Beauty
by autumnrose2010
Summary: After being rejected by Henry, Anne of Cleves is comforted by Edward Seymour.
1. Devastation

I was devastated. As hard as I had tried to please the King, nothing I had done had been good enough. I had failed to earn his love, and now I had been cast aside.

The words Edward Seymour had just spoken to me rang over and over again in my head. Our marriage had been annulled, leaving Henry free to pursue a lovelier bride. Yet he had given me a generous settlement in exchange for my agreement, if I were to stay in England. But of _course _I would stay in England. What was left for me in Germany except to return in disgrace, with my whole family knowing that I had failed to gain the King's love?

Numb with shock, I began to pack my belongings for the journey to my new home. I was on my way outside to the carriage that was awaiting me when I heard a voice calling to me.

"Excuse me, madam. I believe you dropped this." Surprised, I turned to see none other than Edward Seymour himself, holding a single glove out to me. It had fallen out of one of my bags.

"Why, thank you!" I attempted a gracious smile as I accepted the glove from him.

"Madam?" He called to me again as I turned to leave. "It brought me great distress to have been the bearer of such dreadful news to a lady as gracious as yourself. I hope that you harbor no ill feelings toward me on that account."

"Why, of course I don't!" I was quite taken aback. Why should he, one of the King's closest associates, care how I felt about him? As of today, I was no longer a member of the royal household. "Please don't concern yourself with such matters, kind sir. I hold no bitter feelings toward you at all, nor indeed toward anyone. Everyone has been so gracious toward me since my arrival in England, and for that I am very grateful."

"Please, call me Ned," he told me. "And what shall I call you?"

"You may call me Anna, the German form of my name."

"Would it be all right if I were to call on you sometime, once you are settled in your new household?" he asked me.

"Why, of course, if you want." I doubted that he was sincere, suspecting that he was merely trying to be polite as well as to soften the blow a little. Why should a handsome, high-ranking noble such as he have any interest in an outcast like me?

* * *

Hever Castle was magnificent, just as I knew it would be. It was tall and stately, with vast, beautiful gardens and a double moat. I knew that I would be happy there.

Over the several weeks following my arrival, I was so busy with getting settled in and exploring my lovely new home that I quite forgot about Ned Seymour until suddenly one day he was there.

"Did I surprise you?" he asked me.

I was too stunned to respond.

"Good," he said, kissing my hands. "I have come for dinner. I hope that does not inconvenience you."

That evening, we sat across from one another as he told me about his family. "I lost my wife to the sweating sickness several months ago," he told me. "I have a three-year-old daughter and two-year-old son who are the light of my life. They are being raised by governesses, but they miss their mother."

"I'm sure they do," I said. "I'm very sorry that happened." I noticed that he didn't look very grief stricken about his wife at all and wondered whether his marriage had been unhappy.

I told him about my childhood in Germany, my parents, my brother William and my sisters Sybil and Amelia. Much later he left, promising to return soon. I watched him ride away, wondering whether I'd ever see him again.

I hoped that I would.


	2. Consolation

To my surprise and delight, Ned did return several more times in close succession, bringing little Anne and Edward with him the third or fourth time. "They're precious!" I exclaimed as we sat beside the lake watching his children toddle around.

"Thank you," he replied. "They're the one good thing to come out of my marriage."

"But didn't you and your wife love one another?"

"I loved her," he told me. "But from the moment we wed, she was never faithful to me." His face became grim. "The son she gave birth to only weeks before her death is my nephew."

It took me just a moment to realize what he was telling me. "You mean...with your own brother?"

He nodded glumly.

"Oh, Ned, I'm so sorry!" I exclaimed.

"It's all right." He smiled. "The whole experience has only made me appreciate virtuous women more."

Something occurred to me. I looked closely at Anne and Edward as they played, searching for Ned's features in their faces.

"They're both mine," he told me, answering my unspoken question. "At the time of Anne's conception, we were on vacation in Scotland, alone together with no contact with anyone else, and after our daughter's birth, she was ill for an extended period of time and so didn't seek the company of other men during that time. Edward was conceived quite by accident toward the end of her illness."

"I've always wondered what it would be like to be a wife and mother," I mused. "I had hoped to bear a son who would be next in line to the throne behind His Royal Majesty Prince Edward."

"Mothers of princes don't always fare well. Look what happened to His Majesty's mother," Ned pointed out.

"Death in or following childbirth is a risk faced by any woman in any station in life," I replied. "To me, it would have been worth it to provide England with another heir. However, I would much rather have died in childbirth than to have given the King yet another daughter."

"At the risk of sounding unkind, I'm rather glad you didn't become King Henry's fourth Queen," he told me. "I would have greatly feared for your future welfare."

Was it true, then, that he really did care for me? Did he not share the King's opinion that my face resembled that of a horse? Dare I hope?

* * *

As it turned out, Ned's intentions did indeed prove to be sincere. He continued to visit me regularly, often bringing romantic gifts such as flowers, sweets, or even an occasion book of poetry. One day we were walking together in the garden when he suddenly dropped to one knee and asked me to marry him.

We were wed a short time later at St. Peter's church beside my home. After the priest pronounced us husband and wife, he lifted my veil and kissed me for the first time. In contrast to the chaste kisses the King had formerly placed on my lips every morning, his held the promise of intimacy to come.

"We're truly a family now," I said as I embraced young Anne and Edward in turn. I'd grown very fond of them and hoped to be able to fill in the void left by their mother's death.

That night I waited in my bed chambers in anticipation for Ned to come to me. I knew virtually nothing of the ways of husbands and wives, and along with my eagerness to share my love with my new husband was the fear that it might be painful, or that I might not please him.

At last I heard the soft rustle of the curtains parting, and Ned stood before me dressed in only his nightshirt. The outline of his muscles against the thin fabric filled me with an unfamiliar but exhilarating ache. He came to me and pulled the sheet down, gazing at my body, which was clad only in a thin shift, with an unbridled desire in his eyes that made my heart leap with joy.

"You're beautiful," he whispered. His hands caressed my body as he kissed me with abandon, his tongue mingling with mine. He joined me in bed and lay atop me, his hands still eagerly exploring every niche and crevice of my form. Within moments, both my shirt and his nightshirt had been removed, and my fingers moved slowly over his chest, feeling the soft down that covered it, as his caressed my breasts, causing my nipples to become erect, until he deftly slipped one hand between my legs to fondle my most intimate parts.

Pleasure such as I'd never known before surged through me as I felt an unfamiliar moisture flow, and suddenly his finger touched my most sensitive spot, which caused me to arch my back in ecstasy.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

"Oh, yes!" I gasped.


	3. Exciting News

I gasped as I felt a sharp pain as he entered me for the first time. "Are you all right?" he asked anxiously.

"I'm fine," I said bravely.

He moved very slowly, giving me time to adjust, and although the discomfort lessened, it was only toward the end of the experience that I began to feel anything resembling pleasure. He grunted as he released into me, and I held tightly to him, enjoying the closeness. Afterwards, we lay together clinging tightly to one another.

"Did I satisfy you?" he asked me.

"It was a little uncomfortable at first," I admitted.

"It will be better next time, I promise," he told me.

We had a few days of happiness together, and then he had to return to court. "I'm going to miss you so much!" I cried as I embraced him.

"And I, you," he told me. "But never mind. The days will pass quickly, and I will return to you before you know it."

He kissed the children good-bye and was gone. Longingly, I watched the carriage ride away, knowing I'd be counting the days until he returned.

As he'd promised, the days passed more quickly than I'd thought they would. I enjoyed spending time with Edward and Anne. One day I was sitting in the grass watching them romp and play when little Edward brought me a wildflower he'd picked. "This is for you, Mama," he told me.

"Thank you, sweetheart," I said to him.

Ned returned from court with news both good and bad. I was thrilled to learn that Princess Mary Tudor was now betrothed to my cousin, Duke Phillip of Bavaria. Less pleasant to learn was that Thomas Cromwell had been convicted of treason and sentenced to death.

"The execution is to take place tomorrow morning," Ned told me. "If you wish to attend with me, I shall leave the children with their governess."

"I have no desire to see such bloodshed," I replied.

The next morning, I took Edward and Anne wading in one of the lakes on my property. I'd just returned to the dining hall and was preparing lunch when Ned returned, looking pale. I fed the children and got them involved in playing with their toys, then went to talk with him.

"The executioner was drunk and didn't completely sever the head with the first stroke," he told me. "He had to take two swings."

"That's horrible!" I gasped. Whatever Thomas Cromwell had done, could it have been bad enough to merit such a horrible death? I knew that there were worse ways to be put to death, such as being burned alive or drawn and quartered, but I still couldn't get the thought of Cromwell with his head hanging half off his neck out of my mind.

"I'm glad you weren't there to see it," Ned said gruffly.

* * *

It was a long, hot summer. There was no rain for two months. Ned was needed frequently at court, but when he was home, the four of us spent many happy hours splashing around in one of the lakes on my property. At last the weather turned cooler, and the leaves began to fall from the trees. On cool nights, Ned and I sat beside the fireplace, holding hands and talking.

One morning in November, I awakened feeling nauseous. Alarmed, I grabbed the chamber pot just in time. Afterwards, I returned to bed, where I stayed until mid morning. The same thing happened the next few mornings, and I began to experience other symptoms as well. It occurred to me that my monthly courses were several weeks late, and I began to wonder whether I might be with child. One day I summoned the midwife to find out for sure. She examined me and smiled.

"Congratulations," she told me. "You are with child. I'd say about four weeks along, so you should expect your new arrival in about July of next year."

Elated, I couldn't wait for Ned to return from court so that I could share the news with him. At last I saw his carriage arriving one day and took the children and went to meet him. "Papa's home! Papa's home!" Edward and Anne sang excitedly as they danced around. I watched in anticipation as Ned dismounted. He collected one child in each arm and kissed both their cheeks, then sat them down and turned to me.

"You look a bit pale, dearest Anna," he said with a frown. "Do you feel all right?"

"I'm fine!" I assured him. "I have important news for you as well. You're going to be a father again!"


	4. Christmas At Court

He looked startled for a moment, then let out a whoop of joy and spun me around. "My darling Anna, you have made me a happy man indeed!"

He kept his arm tightly around me as we walked inside together. He regaled me with tales of life at court, while I filled him in on what the children and I had been up to. I knew that he left out the most sordid aspects of the latest goings-on, as he knew that my sensitive nature was easily upset by them.

King Henry invited me to Whitehall Palace to celebrate Christmas. I sent two lovely horses ahead as a present for his new Queen, Katherine Howard. Charles Brandon, the Duke of Suffolk, greeted me as I arrived.

"I remember that you once taught me to play cards," I said to him. "I am indebted to you, for as a result, I have won a fortune." He laughed.

Henry greeted me warmly with a big hug. "May I present to you my new Queen, Katherine," he told me.

"I'm greatly honored." I bowed deeply before her. As soon as I saw her, I could easily tell how she'd won the King's heart so effortlessly. She was beautiful: tall, slender, and blonde. Everything that I wasn't.

Yet I wasn't one bit unhappy, as I had everything I could ever ask for materially and, more importantly, I was married to a man who truly loved me, and whose child I now carried within my body.

I enjoyed the Christmas celebration at the palace, chatting with Katherine and dancing. I saw Princess Mary sitting with her betrothed. I smiled at her, and she smiled back. To me she was more like a younger sister than a stepdaughter, and we would soon be cousins.

Later at the dining table, I toasted the King and Queen as he showered her with presents, a lovely brooch and two darling puppies which she generously offered to share with me. As I cuddled the puppy, I thought that perhaps when we returned home, I would ask Ned if we could have one of our own. I'd always adored them, and I knew that the children would love to have a puppy to play with as well.

The wedding of Phillip and Mary took place shortly before we were to leave court and return to Hever Castle. The King's oldest daughter was beautiful in her golden gown with the dark red sleeves and matching head band, while Philip in his blue doublet and black boots and hat had never looked more handsome. Ned and I watched as they exchanged vows, remembering our own wedding day. The newlyweds left for Bavaria right before we began our own journey home.

The children were waiting with their governesses as we arrived. To me if felt like ages since I'd seen them last.

"Papa! Mama!" they exclaimed, running to meet us.

"Darlings!" I hugged first Anne, then Edward. "Did you have fun while we were away?"

"Annie and I made a snowman, Papa!" Edward exclaimed. "John helped me." John was our gardener.

"That's nice," I told my stepson.

"It's all gone now," he told me. "It melted."

"You and I will make another one the next time it snows," Ned promised his son.

* * *

At last winter ended, and the snow melted to reveal green grass. Flowers began to bloom, birds to sing. Ned and I went for long walks in the garden of our castle, admiring nature's wonders.

"Is it very important to you that our baby be a boy?" I asked him.

"It would be nice to have another son," he replied. "But to me, it's more important for the child to be healthy."

"If it is a son, may I call him William, for my brother?" I asked.

He considered my question. "William is a fine name. Yes, you may call him that, but what shall we name a daughter?"

I hadn't even considered a girl's name, as I'd been afraid to even entertain the idea that it might be a girl.

"How about Elizabeth, for my sister?" Ned suggested.

"What a lovely name!" I exclaimed. "Yes, let's call her that."

I began to feel my child's movements, usually when I was lying in bed at night. It thrilled me to know that my baby was growing bigger and stronger and that I would soon be able to hold him or her in my arms.

As summer approached, my abdomen grew larger and larger, until eventually it was difficult to move around. I also began to experience backaches. When Ned was home, he could massage my back for me, but when he was gone, I was often miserable indeed.

When July arrived, Ned stayed home from court so that he wouldn't be gone when the baby was born. One day I felt a sudden pain grip my abdomen, one so sharp and sudden that it nearly took my breath away. A few minutes later it happened again, and this time, I felt a trickle of warm water flow down my leg.

"It's time to fetch the midwife," I told my husband.


	5. Motherhood

His face turned pale. "Are you sure?"

"I'm positive," I told him. He helped me back inside to lie down, then sped away as quickly as he could. The pains weren't very close together at first, and I had a little time to rest in between them. The midwife arrived and examined me.

"You're only four finger widths dilated," she told me. "It'll be a few hours."

I longed to feel Ned's arms around me, holding and comforting me, but the midwife wouldn't allow it. As I lay there waiting for the contractions to intensify and then subside, I wondered what my child would look like. Would he or she favor Edward and Anne? I thought about my family far away in Germany, and a tear trickled down my cheek. I hadn't seen any of them in what seemed forever. Would my child have my father's eyes or my mother's smile?

I must have drifted off, because a sharp pain awakened me abruptly. The midwife examined me again. "Five finger widths now," she announced.

The contractions became stronger and closer together. I hardly had time to catch my breath in between them, until finally it seemed that I was riding a wave of constant pain, one so overwhelming that I didn't even know where I ended and it began. Vaguely I was aware of the midwife checking me once again.

"You're completely dilated!" she told me. "It's time to start pushing!"

I closed my eyes and pushed with all my might and then, exhausted, fell back against the pillows. I hadn't felt anything at all.

"You shall have to push harder than that, milady," the midwife gently chided me. Gathering my strength, I pushed again and again, until finally I was so worn out that I felt that I could push no more.

"I can see the top of the baby's head!" the midwife told me. "You're almost there!"

Calling on reserves I didn't even know I had, I pushed one more time, then again, and at last I felt my child slide from my body.

"You did it!" the midwife exclaimed joyfully. "It's a boy, and a large one he is as well! It's no wonder he had such a hard time coming!"

She cleaned little William and wrapped him in a blanket and handed him to me. Gently I stroked his soft, downy skin and gazed into his milky dark blue eyes, awestruck that Ned and I had created such a miraculous being together.

Suddenly my husband was there, watching us both with a huge grin on his face. Softly he stroked my cheek with his finger. "Are you all right, love?"

"I feel fine," I told him. "Just a bit tired, is all."

"He's beautiful," said Ned. "May I hold him?"

He gathered the soft little bundle into his arms and sat beside my bed. "He reminds me so of Edward right after he was born."

"Do you think so?" I asked.

"Indeed I do." He smiled again and kissed my forehead. "Rest now, little mother. You're certainly entitled."

* * *

Edward and Anne loved their new baby brother, and the five of us became a happy family. Ned remained home from court for the rest of the summer, not returning again until the fall.

Winter brought shocking news. Henry's beloved Queen, Katherine Howard, was found to have been carrying on an affair with her husband's principal groom, Thomas Culpepper. Several executions promptly followed: first those of Culpepper and Katherine's former lover Francis Dereham, and later, those of Katherine herself and Lady Rochford, who'd helped arrange the liaisons between Thomas and Katherine.

Ned attended both executions, but I declined, as usual. He seemed unmoved by the executions of the men but somewhat shaken by that of Katherine.

"She was but seventeen, barely older than a child," he told me. "And yet she was expected to content herself with the ministrations of a man more than twice her age with foul-smelling sores on his legs. I doubt that it was even her fault that she never conceived, as that would have required the services of a healthy and robust partner."

He knew that he could tell me such things in private with no fear of recrimination, even though they bordered on treason. I remembered my own limited encounters with Henry's foul-smelling legs and felt fortunate to have escaped them.

In July my William was a year old. He'd grown to be a chubby, happy little boy who enjoyed toddling around after his older brother and sister. Far from the bustle of court life, Ned and I spent many happy summer days watching our children at play, having picnics, or riding horses on the grounds of Hever Castle.

Summer turned to fall once again, and in November, Ned returned from court with a somber expression.

"The King is sending the Earl of Surrey and myself to Scotland," he said grimly.

"Scotland?" I felt my heart sink.

He nodded. "There may well be bloodshed."


	6. The Battle Of Solway Moss

He made love to me slowly and tenderly that night, as we had no idea whether we'd ever see one another again. The following morning, the children and I watched his carriage ride away until it was out of sight.

"You'll have to be the man of the house until I return," he told four-year-old Edward before he left. "Take good care of your Mama and your brother and sister for me."

"I will, Papa," said Edward.

Five-year-old Anne wiggled her front tooth, which was loose. I'd told her that it would soon fall out and that a new one would grow in its place. "When Papa gets home, I can show him my new tooth!" she told me.

"That's right!" I replied.

"Can I have a tea party, Mama?" she asked.

"I don't see why not," I told her.

I helped her to spread a quilt on the lawn, and she arranged her favorite dolls in a circle on it, then passed out toy plates. I helped her fill tiny toy cups with real tea and gave her biscuits to put on the plates. Edward obligingly sat on the quilt and drank tea and ate his biscuit with her, but little William, too young to understand, insisted on pouring his tea out and walking around while eating his biscuit, dropping crumbs everywhere.

"No, Willie! You're supposed to sit down with the others!" Anne protested. "Mama, make Willie sit down!"

I laughed and sat down on the quilt, taking my young son into my lap as I did so.

Ned returned from battle victorious. "We lost only seven men," he told me. "The Earls of Cassilis, Glencairn, and Maxwell have been captured and brought back as prisoners. King James has fallen ill and is at Falkland Palace."

The children came to greet their father. He took them on his knee in turn. "So did you defeat the evil men, Papa?" asked Edward.

"Yes, we won the battle."

"How many of them did you kill?"

"I didn't kill any of them personally, but a few of them died, and some others were taken prisoner."

"What will happen to them?" asked Anne.

"King Henry will probably keep them in his palace until the rulers of Scotland send him some money, and then he'll let them go free."

"You mean like buying them back?" Our Anne seemed wise beyond her years.

Ned grinned. "Something like that."

* * *

On Christmas Day, Ned and I returned to court together. It seemed strange to me that there was not yet a new Queen to be introduced to. The King announced that King James of Scotland had died two weeks after the battle, leaving behind a six-day-old daughter named Mary.

As Ned and I approached the three captured Scottish Earls, Ned picked up his nephew, Prince Edward, and then sat him back down again.

"I'm Lord Hertford, and this is my lovely wife, Anne," he told the three Scots. "And this is His Royal Majesty, the future Kind of England, Prince Edward. The King would like to propose a peace treaty, an arranged marriage between Prince Edward and the new Queen of Scotland, Mary."

"But she's only an infant!" I said to Edward as we returned home.

"It doesn't matter," he replied. "The marriage of the King's son to the Scottish Queen will unify the two kingdoms and ensure peace between them."

When we got home, I looked at my year-and-a-half-old son, trying to imagine him as someone's betrothed.

* * *

Another spring passed, and in July of the following year, Ned once again brought news from court. "My brother's heart is broken," he told me. "He is to be sent to Brussels as a permanent Ambassador, and the King is to marry the woman he loves, Katherine Parr."

"It's so like Henry to just take whatever he wants," I observed. Although I disapproved of my brother-in-law's morals, I couldn't help but feel just a little bit sorry for him.

I also wondered whether the new Queen would fare any better than her predecessors had.


	7. Sad News

Late summer of that year brought devastating news for me. I was relaxing on the lawn and watching the children at play when a messenger arrived for me.

"Milady." He bowed deeply. "I regret to inform you that your mother, Maria of Julich-Berg, departed from this life on August 29."

"Oh, no!" I cried, gathering the children to myself.

"What's wrong, Mama?" asked Anne.

"Something very sad happened to my Mama, your grandmother," I told her. "Oh, I don't think I can bear it!"

Ned arrived home from court a couple of days later. I'd never been happier to see him.

"My dear mother passed while you were away," I told him.

"I'm so sorry!" he said as he embraced me. "I wish I'd been here to comfort you in your time of sorrow!"

"That's all right," I said bravely. "You're here now."

He was very loving and attentive for the rest of the day, and when he came to me that night, he put his arms around me and began to place tender kisses all over my face.

"Make love to me, darling," I whispered. "I need to feel close to you tonight."

He moved over me and entered me, and we began to move together. My desire for him was so great that I climaxed more quickly than I usually did, and he followed almost immediately. As I felt the warmth of his seed filling me, I wondered whether our act might start a new life growing within me.

* * *

The twenty-second of September brought a much happier occasion. I awoke that morning to find myself alone in bed, and a moment later, Ned entered bearing a tray full of delicious food.

"Happy birthday, sweetheart," he said with a smile as he sat the tray on the bed.

"Thank you!" I exclaimed, "You are so kind!"

"It's my pleasure," he replied.

We were about halfway through breakfast when the children burst in. "Happy birthday, Mama!" they cried. Edward and Anne tumbled onto the bed. I picked little William up and held him.

"Look, Mama, I made this for you." Edward handed me a wooden figure of a horse. "Papa helped me make it."

"Thank you, sweetie," I told him. "It's beautiful!"

"I made you this, Mama," added Anne. She handed me a drawing of a woman and a little girl, obviously meant to represent her and myself, hugging. Above it she'd written 'I love you, Mama.'

"Thank you, darling." I was so touched that I had to swallow a lump in my throat. "I'll always treasure it."

The following month, I began to experience familiar symptoms. A visit with the midwife determined their cause.

"I have a wonderful surprise for you," I told Ned when he returned from court. "The night you comforted me after the loss of my beloved mother brought forth fruit, and I am once again with child."

"That's wonderful, darling!" he exclaimed as he hugged and kissed me. "I'm so happy!"

* * *

Unfortunately, my physical symptoms seemed more severe this time than they'd been the first time I'd been with child. Some days I was so nauseous that I barely kept any food down at all, and I began to lose weight. Ned was so worried that he stayed home from court for weeks in a row, returning only in December, when he was once more sent to Scotland.

After my nausea passed, I became voraciously hungry, more so than I'd ever been before. The midwife became concerned about the amount of weight I was gaining and how large my abdomen was growing.

"This will certainly be a large baby," she predicted. "That does not bode well for an easy delivery."

Her words frightened me. I thought of all the women I'd heard of who'd either died in childbirth or been permanently weakened by it, of the children who'd been left permanently crippled or mentally damaged due to a difficult delivery. Would that be the fate of myself or my child?

It was a lonely Christmas without my dear husband. The children and I decorated Hever Castle, sang carols, and exchanged gifts, but Ned's absence was keenly felt.

In May Ned, along with Viscount Lisle, led an attack on Edinburgh. They burned the city to the ground and returned triumphantly with ships loaded with looted goods.

Ned was home with me when my labor pains began in June. They proceeded much more quickly than than they had when I'd given birth to William, and within several hours I was already feeling the urge to push. A short time later, I felt my child slide from my body.

"Congratulations, milady, you have a daughter!" the midwife announced. "A wee one she is, but she's a healthy set of lungs in 'er!"

She handed the infant to me. She was a good bit smaller than I remembered William having been, but perfect in every way. "Hello, little one," I said, placing my finger in one tiny fist.

As the midwife began to massage my belly to hasten the delivery of the afterbirth, her eyes grew wide with alarm. "Something's terribly amiss," she quaked.


	8. Lord Protector Of The Realm

The powerful contractions that had abated after my daughter's birth returned in full force, and with them, the urge to bear down. I did so, and within seconds, I heard the midwife's startled cry.

"Another head is crowning!" she exclaimed. "There's another child, milady!"

I pushed with all my might, and a few minutes later, felt the second child slide from my body. "You have another daughter, milady!" the midwife announced. She cleaned and wrapped both infants and placed them in my arms. I gazed in wonder at my new daughters' tiny faces. Twins! What would Ned say?

A moment later, he was there, smiling brilliantly. "You went over and above what was expected of you, darling," he said.

"You don't mind that they're both girls?" I asked hesitantly.

"Mind? I'm ecstatic!" He took one of our new daughters into his arms. "Your name is Sarah," he told her.

"I'd like to name her sister Sybil, after my sister," I told him.

"Sarah and Sybil. I like it!" he replied. "You did wonderfully, dear Anna." He hugged me and kissed my lips.

* * *

Ned and I lived happily with our five children for two and a half years, and in January of 1547, news came from Whitehall Palace that would change our lives forever.

"The King has died," Ned told me one day, having ridden so swiftly to meet me that he and the horse were both panting and sweaty. "I hurried home to tell you as soon as I heard. I don't yet know when the official announcement will be made." I listened raptly as he filled me in on all the details. Henry had lain in bed too weak to even feed himself for eight days. He was mostly alone during that time, as the stench of his leg ulcers discouraged all but the most fortified visitors. At the very end he became delusional and cried our for the monks whom he'd evicted from the monasteries which he'd taken for himself so many years before. As horrid as his end had been, I couldn't bring myself to weep for the man who'd caused so much suffering for so many people.

"What happens next?" I asked Ned.

"According to the King's will, our nephew Edward shall be anointed King Edward VI," he told me. "As he is, of course, too young to reign, a Regent shall rule for him until he is of age."

"I wonder who on earth it shall be?" I pondered. He only smiled mysteriously at me.

On February 4 of that year, the executors of Henry's will appointed my Ned as Lord Protector of the Realm and Regent for the new King. Their decision necessitated a move to the Palace, of course. On the day we were to depart, I stood beside the carriage gazing longingly back at my former home. I felt Ned's arm encircle my waist and hug me.

"I'm going to miss it," I told him. "It holds so many memories for me. I gave birth to all three of my children here."

"I know," he said softly. "But just think of how grand it will be to always be together and to never have to say good-bye to each other again!"

I knew that he was right, and his words gave me much comfort as we journeyed to the palace, where we were greeted by our nine-year-old nephew. "Your Majesty," I said, bowing deeply to him. In his eyes I saw deep sadness mixed with no small amount of fear.

"Papa's gone," he said sadly.

"I know." I would have hugged him if it hadn't been improper. "But everything's going to be all right. Your Uncle Ned's going to take care of everything."

"He can't rule like Papa." The young boy frowned. "Papa was the greatest King in the world!"

I didn't know what to say. At that moment I felt sorrier for my young nephew than I'd ever felt for anyone. I couldn't imagine being left with such responsibility at such a young age and so soon after the death of the only parent he'd ever known.

On February 16, Henry was buried in St. George's chapel in Windsor Castle, next to Ned's dearly departed sister Jane. One era had just ended, and a new one fraught with uncertainty had begun.


	9. Birth And Death

"I'd so hoped that we'd part no more," I said as I hugged and kissed my husband good-bye. Ned and I had been living at Whitehall Palace for a year and a half now. I'd easily readjusted to court life and enjoyed being able to see my husband on a more regular basis.

"I'm sorry, my love," Ned told me. "There's trouble brewing in Scotland, and it must be sorted right away."

"What's Scotland, Papa?" asked three-year-old Sarah.

"It's a country full of naughty people who don't do as they're told," Ned said with a grin.

"You mean grown-ups are naughty sometimes, too?" asked Sybil.

"Indeed they are," her father replied. "And when they are, they must be corrected, just like children are."

"Every time you go away to fight, I fear I shall never see you again," I told my husband.

"I've always returned to you so far, haven't I?" he asked lightly. "Why should this time be any different?"

He did indeed return victorious once again, his armies having killed over six thousand Scots and imprisoned two thousand more.

The following year brought exciting news for our family. "My brother is to be a father again," Ned told me one day in March. Thomas had married his long-time love, the Dowager Queen Katherine Parr, a few months after King Henry's death. His namesake son by the former Anne Stanhope was now eight years old and lived with his father and stepmother.

Thomas and Katherine's daughter, Mary, was born on August 30 of that year. However, their joy was short-lived, as Katherine died of childbed fever only six days later.

It was at her funeral that I first saw a young girl of about twelve. She was short and stocky, not beautiful in a traditional way but with an air of fresh innocence that I found quite becoming. She had the darkest brown hair and eyes. She and Princess Elizabeth seemed to be Katherine's chief mourners. I asked Ned who she was.

"She's the Lady Jane Grey," he told me. "Her grandmother was King Henry's younger sister, Mary Rose Tudor. She's a very intelligent young woman and, despite her youth, is devoted to the Protestant cause." At the time, I little realized what a pivotal role this young woman would play in England's future.

A new year began, and in January, my recently widowed brother-in-law did something incredibly stupid. On the night of the sixteenth, he was caught outside the now-teenaged King's bedroom with a loaded pistol.

"He's finally gone too far this time, I fear," Ned told me. I knew what he was referring to. Ever since my husband had been named Lord Protector of the Realm, his younger brother had been jealous of his power and had felt the need to compete with him. Not content with his own title of First Baron of Sudeley, had taken advantage of Ned's absence during the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh to garnish support from the navy and the pirates for a possible rebellion. In spite of this, Ned hadn't done anything to discourage his ambition.

My husband's words proved prophetic, as my brother-in-law was immediately charged with treason and sent to the Tower.

It was a blustery day in March when Thomas was sent to the scaffold. Neither Ned nor I was able to watch as his head fell. After it was over, I asked my husband how he felt about the whole situation.

"Although it's a relief to have the threat of rebellion averted, I still can't help but feel deeply saddened at the loss of yet another sibling," he replied.

"I feel fortunate that all three of mine are still living, although I haven't seen them in many years," I remarked.

"I've a favor to ask of you," Ned told me. "I almost hesitate to do so, as we already have five children in our household, but our niece and nephew are now bereft of both parents, and no one else seems wiling to take them in."

"Say no more," I told my husband. "Of course Thomas and Mary will live with us. Two more children will make little difference, and they are family, of course."

"My dear, you have a heart of gold!" Ned said as he kissed me.


	10. King Edward's Request

I was more than happy to take in young Thomas and baby Mary. With Mary, I had to get used to changing napkins again, of course, and as my own breasts provided no milk for her, I had to hire a wet nurse. Sarah and Sybil adored their young cousin and constantly wanted to help care for her, while Thomas provided companionship for Edward and William.

Despite our harmonious family life, our dear country was soon plagued with social unrest. The citizens rebelled against the imposition of church services in English, and there was also the problem of what to do about vagrants trespassing on private property. There was talk of branding a letter 'v' for 'vagrant' on their chests to discourage this practice.

"How barbaric!" I exclaimed when I heard of it. "Those poor people don't even have a place to sleep at night!"

Ned insisted that the property of the landowners must be respected, but I was able to convince him to disallow the branding practice. The majority of the people, however, disliked my husband's rule, and in February of 1550, the protectorate was taken from him and given the the Earl of Warwick, John Dudley.

"I suppose it's for the best," Ned said to me as we journeyed back to Hever Palace. "I never really enjoyed the administrative side of ruling a country, anyway, as I'm really a warrior at heart."

Several years passed. Our Edward grew from a chubby boy to a handsome, dashing young man with a striking resemblance to his father. Our Anne likewise developed into a willowy, graceful young woman with breasts and curves. One day she came to me pale and shaking with fear.

"I fear that the Lord shall soon call me home," she mumbled.

Very concerned, I felt of her forehead. "Why, you don't feel feverish," I told her. "Do you hurt anywhere?"

She nodded. "I'm cramping terribly in my lower abdomen, but that isn't the worst of it. I'm also...passing blood from my womanly parts."

"Let me see." She showed me, and instantly I knew that there was nothing to worry about. "What's happening to you is perfectly normal," I assured Anne. "You've simply started your monthly courses. They'll come once a month from now on, until you're married and with child. They stop once you become with child and then resume after the babe is born."

"But why must women have monthly courses except for when they're with child?"

"It's one of the mysteries of our heavenly Father that aren't for us to question," I replied.

Our young nephew, the King of England, wasn't nearly as fortunate. At the tender age of fifteen, he lay seriously ill with consumption. Ned and I journeyed to Whitehall Palace to see him alive for what we were sure would be the final time.

We arrived to find him lying in bed weak and pale, with beads of sweat on his forehead. A dark-haired young woman sat at his side, sobbing. I recognized her immediately.

"Lady Jane Grey!" I exclaimed. "I'm His Majesty's aunt, the former Anne of Cleves." We embraced, and she clung to me for comfort.

"I can't bear to lose him!" she cried. "I know that God's will must be done, but I do love him so, and our betrothal was just about to be announced before he fell ill!"

"We must be strong, and have faith that he will recover." As badly as I wanted to comfort the young woman, we both knew that there was little hope.

"If the Lord calls him home, the future of our beloved country will be in peril," she moaned. "As you know, His Majesty's older sister Mary is a devoted Papist, and if she becomes Queen, she will return idolatry and superstition to our land."

I didn't quite know what to say. Since marrying Ned, I'd embraced the religion of the Reformation but lacked the passion for it that some of its adherents, including my nephew and, obviously, Lady Jane as well, shared.

"We must remain strong," I repeated helplessly.

"Aunt Anna?" Edward had awakened and called for me weakly.

"I'm right here," I told him.

A spasm of coughing hit him. I held his head up so that he could take a few sips of water. "Good of you to come see me," he said.

"But of course I would!" I replied.

"You've just met my cousin, Lady Jane Grey," he continued, his voice a bit stronger now. "She shall be my successor rather than my sister Mary. Northumberland and I..." Another fit of coughing seized him. "Northumberland and I have agreed to that. All that's left is to make my beloved cousin see that it must be this way. Can you help me, Aunt Anna?"


	11. Miraculous Recovery

I wasn't sure what to say. I'd only just met the Lady Jane Grey. How could I possibly expect to be an influence on her in any way at all?

"I shall do what I can, Your Majesty," I told my nephew. The last thing I wanted was for him to die in anguish over the future of his kingdom.

Lady Jane and I sat at Edward's side for the rest of that day. "You've heard what His Majesty's wishes are," I told her. "He truly believes that you are England's only hope."

"I wasn't born to be a Queen!" Lady Jane cried. "Edward is very young and is too easily influenced by Northumberland. If God calls him home, the throne is Mary's, not mine. While it's true that she's a Papist, it's also true that God's will must not be questioned." She sounded quite adamant to me, and I didn't know how to argue with her.

"Besides, as I'm sure you know, Mary has many supporters," Lady Jane continued. "They'd question the validity of my reign and would possibly have enough influence to have me arrested and charged with treason, even."

I had to admit that she had a valid point. Looking at Edward tossing and turning with fever, I wondered whether or not he'd considered the same possible eventuality.

My nephew finally fell into a deep sleep, and when he awakened, the physician found that, miraculously, his fever had broken.

* * *

Against all odds, Edward recovered and married Lady Jane Grey soon afterwards. It was a beautiful wedding, attended by all of England's royalty and nobility as well as many of those from foreign countries as well. I was happy to see Mary, Duchess of Bavaria, and her husband Philip again. I hadn't seen them since their own long-ago wedding.

Edward's older sister Elizabeth was also there, accompanied by a tall young man with dark hair and eyes. I wondered who he was and resolved to ask as soon as I got the chance.

Also in attendance was a young woman who favored Lady Jane Grey and appeared to be several years younger. "I must meet her!" our Edward exclaimed before approaching the young woman.

"He's obviously smitten," Ned said to me. I smiled in agreement.

All the way back to Hever Castle, our Edward couldn't stop talking about his new acquaintance. "Her name is Lady Katherine Grey, and she's Lady Jane Grey's younger sister," he told us. "She's the most beautiful and intelligent girl I've ever met, and I very much desire to see her again."

"I wonder who the young man I saw with the Princess Elizabeth was," I mused.

"His name is Robert Dudley," Edward told me. "He's one of Northumberland's middle sons, and he and the Princess are in love."

* * *

Within months, Lady Jane Grey's belly became swollen with child, and the following year, she gave birth to a daughter, whom she and the King named Elizabeth, for the King's sister. Ned and I returned to Whitehall Palace to meet our great niece.

"She's beautiful!" I exclaimed as I looked into the tiny, red, wrinkled face. "I hope that the King isn't terribly disappointed."

"He adores her," Lady Jane told me. "My labor was long and difficult, and he feared losing me. When it was finally over with, he was so thankful for my survival that he didn't even mind that his firstborn is a daughter."

I thought of the King's father and wondered how he would have reacted to the birth of his granddaughter.


	12. Epilogue

Following the birth of Elizabeth, Edward and Jane had two more daughters, Margery and Cecily. Five years after the birth of Princess Elizabeth, our Edward married Lady Katherine Grey, and they became the parents of two sons, Edward and Thomas. Our Anne married Sir Edward Unton, and they also became the parents of two sons, Edward and Henry.

Robert Dudley married the King's sister Elizabeth, and they had many sons and daughters. Ned and I spent many happy years together in my adopted country and lived to see our children grow up and also the births of our grandchildren.


End file.
